1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to therapeutic treatment of human or animal bodily injuries, ailments or diseases by heating and/or cooling an affected body part or area and, more particularly, to heat transfer pads for being applied to an affected body part or area to obtain heating and/or cooling thereof via a heat transfer fluid supplied to the pads.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It has become well known to treat human or animal bodily injuries, ailments and diseases by heating and/or cooling an affected body part or area. The application of heat and/or cold to an affected body part or area has been used to alleviate pain, accelerate healing, inhibit swelling or edema, reduce inflammation, reduce hematoma formation, improve flexibility and range of motion, decrease muscle spasm and restore strength. In particular, cold has been applied to an affected body part or area to slow down circulation and, therefore, the flow of blood to the affected body part or area, slow enzyme function and metabolic reactions, retard metabolism within tissue cells, contract blood vessels and block nerve impulses. The application of heat to an affected body part or area has been found to diminish pain impulses, increase collagen elasticity, accelerate cellular metabolism, dilate blood vessels, increase circulation and speed up the rate of enzymatic reactions. Injuries, ailments and diseases involving soft tissue, muscles, ligaments, tendons and/or joints have been effectively treated with heat and/or cold therapy. The application of heat and/or cold to a human or animal body has also been used to treat hypothermia and hyperthermia and to alter or maintain core body temperature.
In the equine area, heat and/or cold has been applied to body parts of horses for therapy and/or treatment of various conditions, such as sprains, strains and hock and knee injuries. Racehorses, in particular, must be maintained free from injury and/or soreness in order to be able to perform at an optimum level. Accordingly, heat and/or cold has been applied therapeutically to the legs of race horses, especially before and/or after a race.
Heat transfer pads defining an arrangement of fluid channels therein for continuously circulating a thermal transfer fluid within the pads have been used for localized heating and/or cooling of affected parts of the body as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,621 to Fletcher et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,108,146, 4,846,176 and 4,962,761 to Golden, U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,762 to Elkins et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,429 to Smidt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,922 to Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,242 to Saggers, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,072 to French et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,875 and 5,190,032 to Zacoi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,285 to Fontenot, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,241,951, 5,324,319, 5,330,519, B1 U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,330,519, 5,507,792 and 5,662,695 to Mason et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,436 to Fontenot et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,608 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,919 to Kelly et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,411,542, 5,470,353 and 5,683,439 to Jensen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,720 to Mason, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,701 to Stout, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,207 to Mahawili, U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,357 to Jensen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,336 to Lopez-Claros, U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,335 to Herbert et al, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 357,747 to Kelly and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 383,546 to Amis et al.
A limb cooling apparatus for being wrapped around a limb of an animal, such as a race horse, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,367 to Dapcich. The limb cooling apparatus includes an impermeable outer layer, a permeable inner layer and a flexible tube disposed between the inner and outer layers for supplying fluid therebetween. The permeable inner layer, which is placed in contact with the horse's limb, allows the fluid to pass therethrough to contact the horse's limb.
Prior heat transfer pads present various disadvantages and drawbacks, particularly for use on animals such as horses. In many prior heat transfer pads, the thermal transfer fluid is not distributed or circulated evenly throughout the pads thusly impairing the effectiveness of the pads. The fluid channels of many prior heat transfer pads may become blocked, closed, kinked or otherwise obstructed when the pads are folded or wrapped around a body part, resulting in undesired obstruction of fluid flow within the pads. The heat transfer pads typically include inlet and outlet tubes communicating with the interiors of the pads, and the inlet and outlet tubes of many prior heat transfer pads tend to undesirably kink or twist. The heat transfer pads are typically grasped and picked up by means of the inlet and/or outlet tubes; and, when so grasped and picked up, prior heat transfer pads undesirably sag or droop an excessive amount. Excessive sagging or drooping of the pads makes them difficult to use; and, when the pads sag or droop while fluid is disposed within the fluid channels, the fluid will likely not be distributed to all areas of the pads or will be distributed unevenly. Furthermore, many prior heat transfer pads are bulky and difficult to transport. When used on animals, such as horses, many prior heat transfer pads are not comfortable for the animal and/or require that normal movement of the animal be greatly restricted or that the animal be immobilized. Restriction of movement and/or immobilization of a horse are undesirable since it has been found that a horse will recover faster from injuries, diseases and ailments when free to move normally.
Magnetic therapy has also been used to treat bodily ailments, injuries and diseases in humans and animals. It is believed that application of a magnetic field to an ailing, injured or diseased body part or area influences biological processes so as to produce various beneficial effects. In particular, magnetic therapy is advocated for reducing pain and inflammation, relaxing muscle spasms, increasing joint mobility, speeding healing times, strengthening bodily tissues, stimulating blood circulation, improving oxygen consumption of cells and speeding up the exchange of oxygen and waste products in bodily tissues. The use of magnets in belts, bracelets, clothing and other items to be worn by the body have been proposed. As an example, wraps carrying a plurality of magnets have been proposed for placement on a horse's leg as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,061 to Nor and U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,956 to Griffen et al. In addition, magnets, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,532 to Baermann and U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,711 to Latzke, have been secured on a horse's leg by tapes or bandages wrapped around the horse's leg. None of the devices previously proposed for magnetic therapy of a body part or area have incorporated a heat transfer fluid for simultaneous heat and/or cold thermal therapy of the body part or area.
Accordingly, the need exists for improved, therapeutic heat transfer pads having fluid passages or channels arranged therein so that fluid is supplied to all available areas of the pads. The need also exists for improved heat transfer pads that ensure proper fluid flow therein after the pads are applied to body parts or areas of humans or animals, particularly horses. The need further exists for improved heat transfer pads having fluid inlets designed to achieve better fluid distribution within the pads. In addition, there is a need for heat transfer pads wherein kinking and/or twisting of the inlet and/or outlet tubing is avoided. There is a further need for improved heat transfer pads particularly adapted for use on horses while being comfortable and without requiring significant restriction of movement or immobilization of the horses. There is also a need for therapeutic heat transfer pads capable of effecting heat and/or cold therapy as well as magnetic therapy.